Bruce was combative before his 1,000th game as a manager but it showed why he might not be suitable to lead club’s revolution
![‘I’m still here’: unwanted Bruce centre stage as Newcastle’s new era begins | Louise Taylor](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/924e6e464ff5739a3ec3d99364a3e828e3525426/0_199_1623_974/master/1623.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctZGVmYXVsdC5wbmc&enable=upscale&s=1d00b6fbc85badae3afea9f6d19caff0)
When Steve Bruce emerges from the St James’ Park tunnel on Sunday he will quite possibly feel a bit like an unwanted top-table wedding guest.
After all Newcastle were supposed to have sacked Bruce and appointed a more glamorous replacement by now. The club’s new directors had envisaged that Rafael Benítez or, perhaps, Brendan Rodgers would have led the team out against
Tottenham as a capacity 52,000 crowd celebrated the start of a long-dreamed-of partnership with extraordinarily rich Saudi Arabian-led owners.